In relation to an image-forming apparatus, such as a laser printer, a method for transferring a toner image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum to paper transported by a paper transport belt and a method for temporarily transferring to an intermediate transfer belt a toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum and again transferring the toner image from the intermediate belt to paper have hitherto been known.
Belts, such as a paper transport belt and an intermediate transfer belt, are passed around a drive roller—to which driving force is input—and a driven roller spaced a predetermined interval from the drive roller, so as to contact the surface of the photosensitive drum. Therefore, toner may be transferred to and adhere to the surface of the belt when the belt has contacted the photosensitive drum, or paper dust may adhere to the surface of the belt when the belt has contacted paper.
The image forming apparatus having such a belt is provided with a cleaning blade for removing deposits, such as toner and paper dust, adhering to the surface of the belt (See JP-A-2003-50521). The cleaning blade is pressed against the surface of the belt at a position upstream of the driven roller in the traveling direction of the belt, to thus scrape the deposits adhering to the surface of the belt.